Ball tossing game having slidably adjustable receptacles

ABSTRACT

An action game of skill having an extruded elongated cup support member on which a plurality of cylindrical bodies defining cups are mounted in spaced relation longitudinally of this elongated support member. The ends of the elongated support member are adapted to be held in the hands of the user and a ball is bounced or tossed from one cup to another cup by appropriate manipulation of the elongated support member.

United States Patent [1 1 Grossman BALL TOSSING GAME HAVING SLIDABLYADJUSTABLE RECEPTACLES [75] Inventor: Milton J. Grossman, Whittier,Calif.

[73] Assignee: J. Carroll Baiseh Whittier Calit. a

part interest 22 Filed: June 25, 1971 21 App]. No.: 156,669

[52] U.S. Cl. 273/96 R, 273/105 R [51] Int. Cl A63b 68/04 [58] Field ofSearch 273/96 R, 105 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1969 Monzulla 273/105 R 1June 19, 1973 Primary Examiner kichard C. Pinkham AssistantExaminer-Marvin Siskind Attorney-J. Carroll Baisch [57] ABSTRACT Anaction game of skill having-an extruded elongated c'up support member onwhich a plurality of cylindrical bodies defining cups are mounted inspaced relation longitudinally of this elongated support member. Theends of the elongated support memberare adapted to be held in the handsof the user and a ball is bounced or tossed from one cup 0 another cupby appropriate manipulation of the elongated suppor member.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of theInvention This invention relates generally to games and relates moreparticularly to action games of skill wherein a plurality of cups aremounted on a supporting member in spaced relation and a ball is bouncedfrom cup to cup. I

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The invention is an action game device whichcomprises an elongated support member, the ends of which are adapted tobe held in the hands of the operator. This support member may be of asuitable plastic and may be extruded. Along the top of the supportmember are a pair of oppositely arranged inturned flanges, the adjacentfree edges of which are parallel and spaced laterally apart.

A plurality of cylindrical bodies or members of resilient material havediametrically positioned slots adjacent one end for reception of partsof respective flanges, the cylindrical members being adapted to besqueezed to reduce the distance of the slotted portions, so the slottedends may be inserted between the flanges, with the slots aligned withthe flanges. Then upon release of the squeezing pressure, the flangeswill enter the slots for retaining the cylindrical members in place onthe support member. The support member provides a bottom for thecylindrical members, thereby providing a series of cups.

These cups may all be of the same height, or they may be of differentheights and may be variously arranged as to height. There is a ball ofsuch size as to be easily received in the cups and this ball is bouncedor tossed from cup to cup. Skill is required or developed to toss theball from one cup and to catch it in another cup, usually, but notnecessarily, an adjacent cup. This procedure or play may be continuedfor example until the player misses catching the tossed ball in a cup.Play may, for example be from successive cups from one end of the deviceto the other.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufficiently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings which represent certainembodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons willunderstand that many variations may be made without departing from theprinciples disclosed and I contemplate the employment of any structures,arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope ofthe appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, which arefor illustrative purposes only.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the cylindrical members defininga cup.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODYMENT Referringmore particularly tothe drawings there is shown apparatus embodying the: invention, anelongated support member being indicated generally at 10.

Support member 10 has a general T shape in cross section, the stem ofthe T is in the shape of a U and is indicated generally at 12. Theclosed lower end 14 of the stem connects the lower ends of the arms 16,there being outwardly extending parts 18 along the upper ends of saidarms 16 and at the outer edges of said parts 18 there are respectiveupstanding parts 20 from the upper ends of whichwthere are oppositelyarranged inturned flanges 22 spaced upwardly of the outwardly extendingparts 18, said flanges being in a common plane with the inner free edgesspaced apart in parallel relationship. The support member 10' may be ofany suitable material such as a stiff plastic, for example, there beingvarious well known plastic on the market suitable for this purpose forexample.

There are a plurality of cylindrical members 26 each comprising acylindrical wall 28 and defining what are termed cups herein, parts ofthe support member serving as the bottom for said cups as shown in FIGS.2 and 3 The cylindrical walls 28 of each member 26 have diametricallypositioned slots 30 for reception of free edge portions of the flanges22 of the support member to thereby hold the cylindrical members 26 inposition on the support member.

Cylindrical members are of flexible, resilient material such as plasticfor example, there being various suitable plastics presently onthemarket, such as for example Polystyrene, Polypropoline, Polyethelyne,etc.

The cylindrical members are placed on the support member by squeezingsame at the slotted sides sufficiently to insert the lower ends betweenthe free edges of the flanges 22, then allowing the cylindrical membersto return to their normal cylindrical condition allowing free edgeportions of the flanges to enter the respective slots. I

The cups are open at their upper ends and said cups may be of differentheights or they may be all of the same height. Where the cups are ofdifferent heights, they may be variously arranged, either progressivelyhighter or lower or miscellaneously arranged.

Aball 34 sufficiently smaller in diameter than the inside diameter ofthe cups so as to easily be received therein. Any suitable ball may beused such as, for example, a Ping Pong ball or a styrene plasticpractice golf ball, or a ball of any other suitable material may beused.

To use the apparatus the ends of the support member are held in theplayers hands and with the ball 34 in one of the cups, such as an endcup for example the ball is tossed out of the cup and caught in the nextcup. This procedure is followed from one end of the apparatus to theother.

The cups can be moved longitudinally by putting a little squeezingpressure thereon and sliding them to a desired position. Alternativelythe cups can be squeezed enough to remove them and then they may bereplaced at desired positions.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from theforegoing description and it will be apparent that various changes maybe made in the extending inwardly turned flanges, the free longitudinalparallel edges facing each other and spaced apart, and said cupsincluding a cylindrical wall having slots adjacent one end for slidablereception 5 of edge portions of said flanges.

2. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the cylindrical wall 'ofthe cups is of resilient material.

3. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the support member is ofextruded plastic.

4. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the cylindrical wall of thecups is of plastic and is extruded. k m i a:

1. In game apparatus, comprising : an elongated cup support member; aplurality of cups on said support member, said cups being spacedlongitudinal on the support member, the support member having a pair oflongitudinally extending inwardly turned flanges, the free longitudinalparallel edges facing each other and spaced apart, and said cupsincluding a cylindrical wall having slots adjacent one end for slidablereception of edge portions of said flanges.
 2. The invention defined byclaim 1, wherein the cylindrical wall of the cups is of resilientmaterial.
 3. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the supportmember is of extruded plastic.
 4. The invention Defined by claim 3,wherein the cylindrical wall of the cups is of plastic and is extruded.